Technique Boosts Chemotherapy and Radiation Effects

A new technique uses hyperthermia to boost the killing power of radiation and chemotherapy to treat cancer patients.

Based on the principle that raising the temperature of tissue induces greater blood flow in that tissue, the technique uses a focused microarray to target and heat cancerous tumors. The resulting increased blood flow improves the transport of drugs into the tumor so that more chemotherapy drug reaches the tumor area. The increased blood flow also increases oxygen levels in tumors so that more cancer-destroying oxygen radicals can be formed during radiation treatments, making cells more susceptible to radiation.

Doctors at a new cancer center in the Charite Medical School of Humboldt University in Berlin (Germany) are using the new technique. They estimate that it doubles the amount of chemotherapy reaching the tumor. "If we heat up the tumor to 43- 44O C for a short time, the cells are directly destroyed. Then we profit from both effects: destruction by heat and intensification of chemotherapy and radiation,” said Dr. Peter Wurst. The doctors say the technique also destroys the cell nests bordering the tumor, which increases the possibility of complete resection of the tumor and consequent cure. Following treatment, they report that patients require little or no pain medication.

The system used at Charite focuses and delivers microwave energy and monitors the temperature and the blood circulation changes "online” using a magnetic resonance tomograph (NRT). The 3D microwave phased array system used in the new treatment was provided by BSD Medical Corp. (Salt Lake City, UT, USA), while the magnetic resonance equipment was provided by Siemens Medical Systems (Erlangen, Germany).




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